新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
* E+ a, x: b& x3 \$ I/ R& ~        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
! d8 R% K/ v2 l+ ^        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
. d- n0 n& y: ^1 _% m  [$ A19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
! F* I) }& U" ?/ e% }2 k5 m; y% x        教堂的钟很大，以前不分昼夜打点报时，但很多年前遭到毁坏，从此便无声无息了。
( W) {8 }! ^  d% @20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
- |2 O1 `; @; O2 V4 P        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
. B6 h  f$ @2 K2 s+ ]21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
2 p3 _* s4 \+ s$ q( P( `6 H) X        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
        牧师拿着一支电筒走上钟楼想去看看究竟发生了什么事情。
5 Y7 H$ l: U& Y8 g23. In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Wilkins, our local grocer.
9 V. U  ^5 ~$ ^9 o3 F        借着电筒光。他看见一个人，马上认出那是本地杂货店主经比尔.威尔金斯。
& p, v2 O/ Z5 j# S- x24. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
0 i2 t) a" k3 v) y2 P        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
+ D. ?* M6 y$ O" `# n* r( l( o        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
26. I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
) x* u9 |/ u1 d5 n  E        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
4 ]' o0 \% Q/ D6 V% |7 \27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
8 r- e" G" [& G28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
        “你确实使我大吃了一惊！”牧师说，
29. You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well.
        “也许同时你把村里所有的人都吵醒了。
. n* `9 {: R! |$ r5 h30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
$ z2 \5 E4 m9 }1 h31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
" N; Q& q$ B! Q/ [        “问题就在这里，牧师，”比尔回答说。
32. It's working all right, but I'm afraid that at one o'clock it will strike thirteen times and there's nothing I can do about it.
        “不错，钟能报时了，但是，恐怕每到1点钟，它总要敲13下，对此我已无能为力了。”
/ m4 k/ F9 C" s33. We'll get used to that, Bill,' said the vicar.
( U1 ^& \- u  g6 h! K        “大家慢慢就习惯了，比尔，”牧师说。
' p" N5 x8 j! F1 m: Y34. Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing.
        “13下是不如1下好，但总比1下也不敲强。
3 k0 m  S% k: u# y35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”